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So your OVO economy 7 smart meter gives you off-peak cheap electricity, but when is it cheapest?


Userlevel 3

So, some people are lucky enough, or unlucky enough depending on your lifestyle choices, to live in a house with a Dual-Rate meter. You probably didn't know you had one when you moved in. You checked the area, the schools, the bus-routes etc, but it didn't cross your mind to count the registers on your electricity meter. Of course not... No-one does that...

Dual-Rate meters have TWO registers, Peak and Off-Peak, sometimes labelled Normal and Low, or even a cheerful little Sun and Moon. Off-Peak electricity is charged at close to HALF the unit rate.

Lemme say that again. HALF. Half price electricity...

Usually there are 7 hours of off-peak timing, which is why it's sometimes called Economy 7. Some people think it means Economy After 7pm. It doesn't...

But are you Sure you know exactly WHEN your seven hours are? Many of them are Midnight til 7am, or 00:30 to 07:30... But there Are some weird and wonderful set-ups out there...

There's even Economy 10, for example. Off peak electricity with timing like :
0000 - 0500
1300 - 1600
2000 - 2200

That means that even if your washine machine can't go on after midnight because of kids, or because it doesn't Do that, you can pop it on for a bit in the early afternoon, or just after dinner, and still get half price leccy. So it makes sense to Know When...

Now, some new meters kindly have the timings printed on the meter, but older ones Don't. So, how are you supposed to find out When your cheap electricity is?

Well, one way is to ask your energy provider, but i'm not encouraging everyone to pick up the phone, the good guys at OVO already work hard enough...

But I wonder if the Mods here can help...

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Best answer by Tim_OVO 2 October 2020, 18:19

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320 replies

Hi

All sounds great. Knowing the Economy 7 switch times more accurately would mean I would not accidently slip into using the Standard rate when we all move our clocks back and forward for British summer time.

The serial number on my white 'MultiRate Single Phase Watt Hour Meter' is XXXXXXXXXX. I also noticed the number XXXXXXXXXXXXXX on the 'Radio Teleswitch' but that might be the model number.

John
Userlevel 5
Absolutely. It’s worth knowing! I’ve looked into this for you and your peak times are between 0700 and 2400. Your anytime rates have a few different times and are as follows;

0000 - 0500
1300 - 1600
2000 - 2200

Hope this helps!

^Lucy
Many thanks for the information. It will ensure that I get the most out of my cheaper night time tariff.
Userlevel 5
You're welcome. I agree that it's handy to know! Thanks for starting this topic too - any other users will also be able to drop there query here to find out their peak and off peak times.

Lucy
Yes I want to know my off peak times, I think I may need to change from Economy 7 but need the facts first. Can I post my Meter Serial Number and someone will check?
Thanks
Userlevel 5
Yep - I'd be happy to!

Lucy
Hi serial no is XXXXXXXX
Thanks
Userlevel 5
Hi serial no is XXXXXXXXX
Thanks


Thanks, Disy. Your peak times are from 0630 - 2300 and 2300 - 2330 and your off peak times are between 2330 - 0630.

Lucy
Hi Lucy, Any chance you could check my Economy 7 hours too? Meter Ser is XXXXXXXXXX.
Thank you.
Brian
Userlevel 5
Hi Lucy, Any chance you could check my Economy 7 hours too? Meter Ser is XXXXXXXXXX.
Thank you.
Brian


Absolutely. I’ve checked this for you and your peak times are between 0700 and 2400 and your off peak times are between 0000 and 0700.

Lucy
Thanks Lucy. Just a point of clarification please - are the timings BST or GMT? Or as I now have a smart meter, does it no longer matter when in the year.....its always 0000 to 0700?
Thanks
Brian
Userlevel 7
Thanks Lucy. Just a point of clarification please - are the timings BST or GMT? Or as I now have a smart meter, does it no longer matter when in the year.....its always 0000 to 0700?
Thanks
Brian


This is a great question, Brian.

I can tell you that with smart meters, or with non smart 'radio teleswitch' meters, it will always be at those times no matter what. Only with the older 'timeswitch' meters will it change in line with GMT/BST changes.

So you can sit back in the sun and be sure when it's cheaper energy time 🆒

Tim
Userlevel 1
I should add to this that my (Chameleon Technology's IHD3-CAD) smart meter tells me when its cheap rate, but... .either its slightly wrong, or it changes according to BST and GMT.

The smart meter said off-peak rate kicked in at midnight during the winter, but now it starts at 1am now its summer.
Been religiously switching on appliances at 1pm & turning off at 4pm, plus same 8pm-10pm, only to find cheap rate hasn't been kicking in till 2pm and 9pm - and this has been going on since meter installed in 2014! When I picked the Eco10 for new house, Ovo had assured me that the new meters self-adjusted to standardise times throughout the year, and I didn't have to adjust my usage according to GMT/BST.

They're onto this and looking into it now, but has anyone else had the same problem?
Userlevel 7
Been religiously switching on appliances at 1pm & turning off at 4pm, plus same 8pm-10pm, only to find cheap rate hasn't been kicking in till 2pm and 9pm - and this has been going on since meter installed in 2014! When I picked the Eco10 for new house, Ovo had assured me that the new meters self-adjusted to standardise times throughout the year, and I didn't have to adjust my usage according to GMT/BST.

They're onto this and looking into it now, but has anyone else had the same problem?


Hi Eco10, welcome to the OVO Forum!

I have moved your question here so other like minded economy 7 users can see you comment and maybe provide some help and advice.

Darran
Hi
Serial Number XXXXXXXXXX
Can you please let me know my Economy 7 times
Userlevel 7
Hi
Serial Number XXXXXXXXXX
Can you please let me know my Economy 7 times


Sure thing, @Platinum 🆒

The meter in that property is a time switch economy 7 meter, with off peak usage between the hours of 00:30-07:30. Remember, it's a time switch (internal timer), so this meter remains on GMT even in British Summer Time.

Hope this helps,
Tim
Hi

My serial number is XXXXXXXXXX can you tell me when economy 7 times
Userlevel 7
Hi

My serial number is XXXXXXXXXX can you tell me when economy 7 times


I'm on it, @Noley

Your meter has the same peak and off peak times as @Platinum so check out my response to them here:

The meter in that property is a time switch economy 7 meter, with off peak usage between the hours of 00:30-07:30. Remember, it's a time switch (internal timer), so this meter remains on GMT even in British Summer Time.

There it is! :$

Tim
Hi Mods,
Thanks in advance for your time and effort.
XXXXXXXXXX
Is it possible to get the economy 7 hours, please?
Happymouse
Hi Mods,
Thanks in advance for your time and effort.
XXXXXXXXXX
Is it possible to get the economy 7 hours, please?
Happymouse


Absolutely, @Thehappymouse

Your meter clocks off peak usage between 00:00 and 07:00 and peak usage between 07:00 and 00:00. You're lucky enough to have a teleswitch meter where it's clever enough to adjust to the time of the year automatically.

Hope this helps!

Emma
Big help. Thanks Emma.
Hi. My meter number is XXXXXXXXXX. Could you advise my Economy 7 hours please.
Many thanks, Alty
Hi. My meter number is XXXXXXXXXX. Could you advise my Economy 7 hours please.
Many thanks, Alty


No problem, @Alty

Your meter clocks peak usage between 23:30 and 01:30, then again 06:30 - 21:30. Your meter clocks off peak usage between 01:30 and 06:30, then again 21:30 - 23:30.

You also have a teleswitch meter which means you don't need to worry about when the clocks change as the meter adjusts accordingly.

Hope this helps!

Emma
Thanks Emma. Forgive me but the use of the term peak usage is confusing. Could I confirm my understanding please. Are you saying that my higher rate is applicable during the night between 1.30am and 6.30am and during the evening between 9.30pm and 11.30pm? If so, am I correct in thinking that my lower rate is between 11.30pm and 1.30am and between 6.30am and 9.30pm? Many thanks, Alty

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